Irish Heritage Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is known as Irish-American Heritage Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada. It was first celebrated by proclamation of the President and Congress in the United States to honor the achievements and contributions of Irish Americans. The heritage month is in March to coincide with Saint Patrick's Day, the Irish national holiday on March 17. Heritage Months are usually proclaimed by nations to celebrate centuries of contributions by a group to a country.
2026: Presidential message in lieu of proclamation
In March 2026, President
Donald Trump did not issue a formal
presidential proclamation designating March as Irish-American Heritage Month, the first time since the observance was established in 1991 that no such proclamation was issued. Trump had issued formal proclamations in each year of his first term (2017–2020) and again for March 2025 at the start of his second term. Instead, on March 17, 2026 —
Saint Patrick's Day itself — the White House published a "Presidential Message on Saint Patrick's Day and Irish American Heritage Month," which acknowledged the month and expressed support for the
Irish-American community and U.S.–Ireland relations. Unlike a presidential proclamation — a formal executive document published in the Federal Register that constitutes an official designation and typically calls on relevant institutions to observe the occasion — a presidential message carries no such official status. The absence of a proclamation was noted by Irish-American media and advocacy groups ahead of the
Taoiseach's annual Shamrock Ceremony visit to the
White House.{{cite web ==George H.W. Bush Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations==
George H.W. Bush Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations
Proclamation 6259 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 1991 March 12, 1991 Proclamation 6408 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 1992 March 4, 1992 ==William J. Clinton Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations==
William J. Clinton Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations
Proclamation 6533 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 1993 March 6, 1993 Proclamation 6656 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 1994 March 8, 1994 Proclamation 6771 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 1995 February 23, 1995 Proclamation 6868 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 1996 March 1, 1996 Proclamation 6974 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 1997 February 27, 1997 Proclamation 7070 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 1998 February 27, 1998 Proclamation 7169 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 1999 March 1, 1999 Proclamation 7279 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 2000 March 1, 2000 ==George W. Bush Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations==
George W. Bush Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations
Proclamation 7409 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 2001 Proclamation 7526 – Irish-American Heritage Month 2002 Proclamation 7649 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 2003 Proclamation 7760 – Irish-American Month, 2004 Proclamation 7873 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 2005 Proclamation 7983 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 2006 Proclamation 8107 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 2007 Proclamation 8223 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 2008 ==Barack Obama Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations==
Barack Obama Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations
Proclamation 8350 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 2009 Proclamation 8479 – Irish-American Heritage Month, 2010 Irish-American Heritage Month, 2011 Irish-American Heritage Month, 2012 Irish-American Heritage Month, 2013 (February 28, 2013) Irish-American Heritage Month, 2014 (February 28, 2014) Irish-American Heritage Month, 2015 (February 27, 2015) Irish-American Heritage Month, 2016 (February 29, 2016) == Donald Trump Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations ==
Donald Trump Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations
Irish-American Heritage Month, 2017 (March 1, 2017) Irish-American Heritage Month, 2018 (February 28, 2018) Irish-American Heritage Month, 2019 (March 1, 2019) Irish-American Heritage Month, 2020 (February 29, 2020) Irish-American Heritage Month, 2025 (March 6, 2025) == Joseph Biden Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations ==
Joseph Biden Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamations
Irish-American Heritage Month, 2021 (March 1, 2021) Irish-American Heritage Month, 2022 (February 28, 2022) Irish-American Heritage Month, 2023 (February 28, 2023) Irish-American Heritage Month, 2024 (February 29, 2024) == Canadian Proclamations ==
Canadian Proclamations
Irish Heritage Month, 2022 (March 1, 2022) Irish Heritage Month, 2023 (March 1, 2023) ==See also==